On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my favourite web finds of the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.
Favourite Comments. Enjoy!
Jen tells us a little about where she is at with her decluttering in this comment. Thanks Jen.
In this comment Jane shares how her target of being decluttering by her self-imposed deadline of the end of the year.Â
Moni and her daughter Dayna had occasion to consider how much easier it would be to move house when one doesn’t own copious amounts of stuff. Read about their insights here. Â But don’t stop there continue reading through this comment strand for more on the subject.
I also loved this comment from Moni on how she reserected her husband’s BBQ rather than buying a new one. Well done Moni!
Deb J‘s post certainly generated lots of comments. I found this one for Dez C particularly interesting. Although as she said, some may not like what she had to say, she does make some interesting points on how we complicate something that is really very simple in its raw form. One thing that struck me as I read along was that these days one can simply this even further in this digital world by not even printing photos but storing them digitally.
Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!
Here is a link to the simplicity blog ANNIENYGMA giving us some good reasons to rent rather than buy.
This link from Mens Health News gives us some tips on saving on household cleaners.
Here are a couple of links from Daily Lime. One about environmentally friendly gift ideas and this one with some really cute alternative gift wrapping ideas.
Loved this article from Mind Over Matter on the fear of letting go of clutter.
Today’s Mini Mission
Declutter old VHS tapes. If you haven’t already converted them to a modern digital form then the chances are you never will. Especially if you don’t watch them anyway or even own a VCR.
Today’s Declutter Item
Wet Weather Poncho
Eco Tip for the Today
 Fix leaky toilets. Those constantly running toilets aren’t just annoying they are a huge waste of water.
This week we have really had some good discussions. Annienygma has some great ideas for why to rent. I especially like the idea of renting something to try it out. The Men’s Health News article was good because this isn’t something you normally see in articles for men. Getting men on board with these ideas is good. I liked that the one article from the Daily Lime mentioned 365 Less Things. The Mind Over Matter article was very good. I have printed it out to share with S.
Deb J – I was thinking about you and S last night. You mentioned a friend who volunteered to help out. Given that both you and S have limitations due to health, I was thinking maybe if you approached your church and got some extra helpers, not all at once (unless that is what S wants) but just an extra couple of people to do the lifting and carrying work or loading stuff that is being donated into a vehicle and delivering it. It could have the spin-on effect of educating a few others too.
Hi Deb J, I am glad you enjoyed, this week’s conversations and the links. I was glad to have found that Mind over Matter link, it made some very good points. A lot of ah ha possibilities in it I think.
Hi Moni, I like that you were thinking about Deb J and S and trying to come up with ways to make their task easier on them physically. I don’t imagine though that S would want too many people to know about her predicament.
I had thought of that but the ones I think S would feel comfortable with all work. We do have one who will come over and load stuff in his trailer and cart it wherever we need it to go. I think that the one we have who is going to help will be able to handle most things. The heavy stuff will will have D take care of when he is home.
Maybe S will be at ease with getting more help a bit further down the road? I completely understand that she feels ashamed of the state of everything at the moment and doesn’t want people to talk about it but only a few trusted friends in it. But then many people have madly cluttered garages or or basements or attics or offices even if the rest of the house isn’t a hoarder’s retreat at all. So maybe you can work away at some of the more “intimate” rooms with her alone and get more help for the garage? And probably you could schedule the cleanout of an area where she agrees on feeling comfortable getting more help some time before the church charity sale (I think you mentioned your church does that every year) so she could donate to that cause? Just a thought, but maybe worth asking S. Because you both really need to watch you health and be careful with yourself.
I think we have a chance at getting the garage help. It seems most people have that issue. In the house what is left is mostly books and a few other items that she wants money for. The two hard places will be his office (full of boxes of computer programming he has done over the years and that need to be scrapped) and the garage (filled with boxes of paperwork, Christmas decor and more stuff she wants money for). Ah well! It will happen when it happens. I just know this girl is not going to overdo this time and get sick.
My dad had to replace the toilet in my bathroom. No matter how often the insides were changed or adjusted, it would run. Since he replaced the old toilet with a new, low-flow, non-leaky toilet, the water bill has dropped nearly ten dollars. (My old toilet had gotten to the point where it ran ALL the time.) So, yes, fix or replace leaky toilets.
Also, my new toilet flushes so much better. It is a glorious thing. Or maybe I’m just easily pleased. Haha.
Sounds wonderful to me Rachel. I can’t stand water running or dripping and radios with bad reception and not set on the station properly. So I can imagine you were pleased with this outcome.
I have just overheard Adrian telling someone about his bbq – I need to tell him the correct word is “refurbished” not “re-un-decluttered” 🙂
Just made me laugh Moni!!! “Re-un-decluttered” was great.. 😀 😀 😀
I would go with Re-un-declutter too. I like it.
I love it. Adrian is a hoot.
Re-un-decluttered! Love it!
I am finally taking the books to donate tomorrow. It took me a while, because I wanted to take them somewhere someone would use and I wanted to see if I wanted to take a look at the boxes and retrieve any book. No, I did not retrieve any book back. They are free to go!!! I still have other things to work on and I am thinking about how to handle some stuff. i found Mind over clutter a great link. Yes I have that fear now and again and it has it’s strongest effects in my wardrobe.
Andreia – I can appreciate you are taking a big step, but I can promise you that it will get easier from here on in. The first box of books that I donated to the local Lionesses Club’s annual book fair was really hard but once I drove them to the drop off location, I didn’t miss them and it just got easier after that.
Hi Andréia, I thought you might like Mind over Matter. It is a real conflict of desire to both want to keep things but knowing you want less stuff cluttering up your life. For some reason I had no problem with making this transition but for others it is a struggle. One thing I am sure about is it isn’t about the stuff. It is about the psychological reason behind why we think the stuff is important. It isn’t about the matter but about what the item represents for us.
Like Steve said in his post earlier in the week ~ “Some reminded me of past glories on the Rugby field. The shelves of books displayed in our living area showed the world I am well read and educated, and my collections reflected the diversity of my interests. To give up many or any of these items meant giving up a part of own psyche, my being and my raison d’être.”
Why do we feel the need to display to ourselves and others that we are someone. We are someone no matter what other people think. Many people’s persona on the outside is not the person they are behind closed doors so who cares what they think of us.
You are right Colleen. Why should we care what others think? I think it is because we are surrounded by it in the media and sometimes raised to think that way. It took me a long time and a lot of prayer to realize that who I am is good enough.
Hi Colleen! I guess Steve nailed the problem with his comment. I did a big comment on Thursday post’s about why we keep stuff and I tried to answer your questions. It is good to think my decisions through because I make conscious decisions. I am trying to declutter consciously so I don’t “reclutter”. So, making the decluttering process a very well thought one, will prevent me from buying unneeded things again.
We want people to like us. And we use our stuff to do it. We want people to look at us and think “he/she is so clever/rich/tasteful.” We crave social approval/acceptance. But when we start evaluating the reality of life due to more pressing problems (health problems, being a caregiver, losing a loved one and others) this “show” stops to matter. But as Cindy said in this week’s post, we must keep Constant Vigilance, because it is very easy to go back to old ways.
Years ago I declutted two loaf tins because I tend to eat what I bake… funny that! Anyway, I was given a Four Ingredient Fruit Cake recipe that I really wanted to try, Christmas season and all and of course no tins. I simply borrowed from a neighbour, baked the cakes and returned the tins (with a gift of plums inside)… voila!
I could see my DH was thinking what a waste to get rid of the tins originally, but it occurred to me:
1) I won’t stop decluttering on the off chance I declutter something I might need in the future. (771 items or bags of items gone so far.)
2) I could always borrow the tins again, I’m not likely to make the cakes very often.
3) I could even buy tins again (second hand possibly)
4) Brainwave: use what I have! I shall try next time to bake it in a glass pyrex dish, don’t see why that won’t work!
My thinking has definitely changed: years ago I wouldn’t have thought twice about buying them. Now I prefer the space they would have taken up.
I LOVE your blog Colleen, and Cindy, and a very Happy Christmas to you.
Oh Janetta, this is so what I am trying to get through to my mother. We have some things we haven’t used in at least 6 years and may never that she hangs onto just in case. Mostly cooking stuff.
Hi Deb J! I know you are very patient with your Mom, but do understand: I am 35 years old and I think like your Mom sometimes! 😀
So, if I am much younger and have these “I might need it someday thoughts”, imagine what must be like to your mother. I grew up in a time of plenty. We did not have this monstruous amount of stuff we can buy today, but we had plenty. You have shared with us that your Mom has already made enormous progress, so convince her, one item at a time. Good luck and keep calm!!! 😉
Andreia, you are right that I just need to keep calm. There are just days when I want to throw it all away.
Janetta, Not sure if the tins you are speaking about are the same kind of tins I have but I am very close to donating about 10 tins to the GoodWill box. For years, I gave fudge and cookies to neighbors in tins that I either got food items in that I ordered or purchased from yard sales or mail order. But the tins were so cute that I didn’t want to give them away or the recipients of the gifts gave them back – hoping for another gift the next year. Now, there are more tins than there are places to store them in my house and some of the lids just won’t stay on well anymore. So, as I prepare another box for the goodwill, I will probably donate some of the older tins. I have found that a small gift of fudge can be put in a card box with some foil or waxed paper and then they are not returned to me. Or I can use the plastic bags with holiday decorations on them and again, they are not given back. So, my house does not have to be the keeper of the tins. Anyway, Janetta, thanks for the note about the tins. It was an eye opener for me.